Da Big One

Your average auto parts stores are, for the most part, very well stocked places. You go there, usually find what you're looking for, and leave happy. The same can be said for local cruise nights; you go and find a few cars or trucks you really like, admire the rest, and go home happy. Now, if you've ever had the opportunity to visit the warehouse that supplies the auto parts store you frequent, let's just say it's nothing short of overwhelming in comparison to that little store. So where does the cruise night fit in? Try comparing that to the Goodguys Nationals in Columbus, Ohio.

The Nats is nothing short of overwhelming by any means, especially in comparison to the local cruises that attract a few hundred vehicles, tops. Try in upwards of 6,000 entrant vehicles and nearly 72,000 spectators through the gates over the July 7-9 weekend at the Ohio Expo Center. Yeah, that's pretty overwhelming. But if you're into hot rods, customs, and of course, classic trucks, then this is the place you'd want to be smack dab in the middle of, as you won't find a better caliber of vintage vehicles anywhere--period. It's not just because CLASSIC TRUCKS had its third of five Top Tens there, or because it was another finalist stop for the Truck of the Year program. We wanted to be part of the 8th PPG Nationals just because it seemed like the cool thing to do...and it was. Forget all the top-notch musclecars vying for Street Machine of the Year. Forget the amazing street rod contingent competing for Street Rod of the Year honors. They were all beautiful, and we had a hard time prying ourselves from their midst, but there was another reason we were glad to be there: one great classic truck after another. Yes, believe it or not, the turnout of pre-'72 haulers was more than impressive--it not only made our Top Ten selection overly difficult, it made us (almost) forget about unforgettable cars like Bobby Alloway's jaw-dropping '71 Challenger or Steve Grimes' scale rear-engine modified roadster. In other words, the all-inclusive show has open arms for the truck crowd, and this year they totally took advantage of that. While other magazines such as Street Rodder and Rod & Custom were arriving at the show via Tom's Fun Run, we weren't quite as lucky with our travel arrangements and had to fly in rather than drive across the country.

Nevertheless, we arrived ready to hit the Expo Center full force, as the impending weekend was sure to take a toll on us, which it did. Rather than leisurely wander around the sprawling grounds like an average spectator or participant, we scoured the place, making sure we didn't miss a single truck among the lot. Along the perspiration-inducing hikes, we ran across a number of cool people just hanging out and enjoying "their" little portion of the Nats with their friends and vehicles. That brought out the down-home personal side of the event, and made us even happier to be there.

With that many vehicles and people all in one place, you'd think it was a literal madhouse, wouldn't you? Well, when you get away from the core attractions of the show (the "best of" corrals, vendor midway, and food), it's actually pretty easy to stroll around and look at some fine pieces of craftsmanship without having to wait your turn, get bumped by passerby, or make way for an oncoming trolley. Over on the south end, rows of open-sided barns allow for plenty of shaded parking if you arrive in time to take advantage, while the air-conditioned main exhibitor building provides relief from the sun for those that don't. The swap meet area is also covered, but it tends to get a bit balmy inside there, so determined treasure hunters beware. All in all, it's a great show that offers a something for everyone. If you haven't had a chance to check out the Goodguys Columbus Nats, take our advice and make it a priority for next July 7-9. For more info, visit www.good-guys.com. In the meantime, enjoy the pics!